Nova’s bright expression darkens and Jake looks like I just kneed him in the nuts. I leave without another word, heading into the kitchen to grab my stuff out of my office. Javi is back there, just taking off his hairnet and apron after cleaning the kitchen. “You good Ter?”
“Yep. Just tired. Heading home. See you tomorrow, Javi,” I say casually as I grab my coat and purse. I decide to head out the back door, the one that leads to the alley off the break room instead of walking back through the restaurant where I’ll have to see Jake again.
13
Jake
I should have goneto her last night after she stormed out of the Shack. I should have driven straight to her house and talked to her like a fucking adult, but I didn’t. Because when I do talk, I want to be able to tell Terra exactly what happened with Aspen, and I don’t know that yet. If there’s going to be lasting repercussions from that night, she needs to know. I don’t want to hide it, but I don’t know the answer myself.
So I sent her a bunch of texts instead, telling her I was thinking of her and if she needed anything to call, even if it was the middle of the night. And then one last text a little after one in the morning that said;Aspen was a one-time thing, Terra. I swear. Never again.
I stopped short of calling it a mistake because if that child is mine, I don’t ever want that word used in anything pertaining to his or her existence. Ever. Not even now. Terra didn’t answer any of my texts, but she saw them and she didn’t tell me to fuck off, so … it was not the worst thing, I guess.
Now I’m bobbing up and down in the ocean, watching Finn ride a wave I was too tired to catch myself because I barely slept last night. I give up and paddle in. I have to go meet Aspen soon anyway.
“You forget how to surf while you were in the mountains, buddy?” Finn says ten minutes later as he walks up the beach to join me by our cars. I could surf on the beach in front of my new apartment. That was part of the draw when I picked it, but it’s windy today and the best waves on a blustery fall day are at Goosefare Rocks clear at the other end of the seven-mile beach that lines Ocean Pines.
There’s a little, concrete public bathroom there too for changing in and out of wetsuits, although it’s mostly used by women, not men. We tend to just change at our cars. Finn runs a hand over his soaked hair, sending ocean droplets everywhere then he pops the trunk on his SUV and grabs a towel and rubs it over his face and scrubs his beard with it. There’s another car parked beside us but I don’t see anyone in the water.
“Hey listen,” I say as I shove my board into the back of my Jeep and grab my own towel. “I really wish you hadn’t told Terra and Nova about the Aspen thing.”
Finn stops unzipping his wetsuit and looks over at me. I yank the cord on the zipper of my own wet suit, pulling it down to my waist. “It’s just maybe Aspen doesn’t want everyone to know. I really don’t. I’m not ashamed of her or what happened, but it’s not something I need advertised.”
“I’m sorry man, I didn’t know it was this huge secret. I mean, not from Terra and Nova, they’re family,” Finn says. He peels out of the top of his wetsuit, exposing his naked torso, which is the only way anyone would know for sure it’s Finn and not Logan. He’s got zero tattoos whereas Logan’s got three. “And you know, if you wanted to get back together with Aspen, no one would judge you.”
I shake my head. “Why do you think I would want that?”
“Well, because you slept with her,” Finn reminds me and smiles. “And because despite your words, you seem to be spending a lot of time with her. She stayed at your house, you’re hanging out with her today, your last day before you go in for surgery. Your very last day for sexual contact.”
“That’s a lot of my business you just commented on,” I quip. “What are you, Mrs. Green?”
“Did I just hear my name?”
Finn has a towel loosely wrapped around his waist and is in the process of tugging down the rest of his wetsuit underneath that towel when, like a sea monster in a really bad horror movie, Nellie Green’s head pops up from the other side of the enormous rocks that line the left side of the parking lot. We both jump. Finn thankfully makes sure to hold onto his towel, or Mrs. Green would really have something to gossip about.
“Oh hi there, Mrs. Green,” I say trying to sound casual. “Do you always hide in the rocks out here?”
She lets out a loud giggle that is far too loud and, well, giggly. She looks down beside her. “Cassidy, honey, help me won’t you?”
The head of her daughter now pops into sight too. She’s not in her Dunkin’ uniform today. Instead, she’s wearing a pair of very short jean cutoffs and a tiny, cherry red, triangular bikini top. Finn’s eyes nearly bulge out of his head. Cassidy takes her mom’s arm and helps her up the rocks. “Hey boys! Long time no see, Jake. Are you trying to cut down on caffeine?”
I shake my head. “Nope. Just been busy.”
“Cassie honey, there was a full moon the other night. You know I told you the police scanner was buzzing all night.” Of course Mrs. Green owns a police scanner. I fight the urge to roll my eyes at that as she and Cassidy walk around the side of the rocks to stand on the paved parking lot. Her eyes are filled with concern under the brim of her very wide sunhat. “How is Robbie Ellis? Heard he burned himself pretty darn good. Poor Myrtle. She’s such a good woman. Comes to church every Sunday. Don’t know where they went wrong with that boy, but I thank the good lord I got blessed with the well-behaved, god-fearing babies I did.”
Cassidy smiles brightly but then when her mom goes back to adjusting her hat, which is fighting to stay on her head in the wind, Cassidy’s god-fearing eyes sweep over Finn’s mostly naked body with a look that is not exactly pure. “How are your sons, Mrs. Green? Eddie still in the pot business?”
Ouch. Finn just went straight for the jugular.
“He still works at a cannabis dispensary, yes. You know it’s perfectly legal for medicinal purposes, and he helps so many people with their health issues,” Mrs. Green says, her smile turning acidic instead of saccharine. Sure, Eddie works for a legal company now, but he still deals on the side just like in high school.. “Jake, perhaps Eddie can help you find something to help with pain management after your operation. What is it for?”
Her green eyes are like little daggers pointed straight at me, and my stomach rolls with anxiety.Shit. She overheard Finn talking. “It’s a personal matter. Private.”
“Privates?” Cassidy says as the wind whips her dark brown hair around her face and she struggles to pull it back. “Did you say privates?”
Oh great. The town gossip is now going to think I’m getting penis enlargement or something. “No. I said itisprivate!”
“Jake, you know that this town has always been here for you,” Mrs. Green steps a little closer and gives me a sincere smile. “Whenever your mama had … her episodes and couldn’t take care of you, people watched out for you. You can count on us again if you need something. And they’ve let you become a firefighter even with your criminal record.”
